


> 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

020 312 278 



HoUinger Corp. ' 

pH 8.5 






A DIGEST 



OF THU 



ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 



RELATIVE TO THE 



Jirst Si;l)ool IBietrict 



OF THE 



STATE OP PEiNNSYLVANIA. 



A DIGEST 



OF THE 



ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 



RELATIVE TO THE 



Ixxst 0fl)ool !Dt0trkt 



OF THE 



STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF CONTROLLERS. 



PRINTED BY FAYETTE PIERSON. 
1843. 



?i 



INTRODUCTION 



As THE several Acts of Assembly relative to the First 
School District have been passed at different times, and 
not always with reference to their bearing on each 
other, it is thought expedient to accompany the Digest 
of Laws with a brief general statement of the organiza» 
tion of the Public Schools in the First School District, 
and the relative rights and duties of the Controllers and 
Directors. 

The First School District comprises the whole of the 
City and County of Philadelphia, and is divided into 
eleven different Sections, in each of which there is one 
or more Boards of Directors : 

The First Section includes the City of Philadelphia. 

The Second Section includes the Northern Liberties. 

The Third Section includes Southwark. 

The Fourth Section includes Spring Garden. 

The Fifth Section includes Oxford, Lower Dublin, 
Byberry and Moreland. 

The Sixth Section includes Germantown, Roxbo- 
rough and Bristol. 

The Seventh and Eighth Sections includes West 
Philadelphia, Blockley, Kingsessing and Passyunk. 

The Ninth Section includes Moyamensing. 

The Tenth Section includes Kensington. 



The Eleventh Section includes North and South 
Penn Township and Unincorporated Northern Liberties. 

The Board of Control consists of twenty-one mem- 
bers, elected by the Boards of Directors of the different 
sections, on the first Monday of June annually. Their 
term of service begins on the first of July and continues 
for one year. To this board the First Section sends 
seven members; the Second Section three members; 
the Third, Fourth and Tenth Sections each two mem- 
bers ; the Fifth, Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh Section 
each one member, and the Seventh and Eighth Sec- 
tions jointly one member. 

It is the duty of the Controllers to determine upon 
the number of School Houses to be erected and esta- 
blished in each section, and to provide suitable books 
for the pupils. They direct what number of Teachers 
shall be employed and limit their salaries. They have 
a general superintendence over all the schools in the 
district, and have the power to make such rules and re- 
gulations for their own government and that of the 
schools, as may be requisite to carry the school system 
into complete effect. This board determines the 
amount of money to be raised annually from the county 
for the use of the schools, and have the entire control of 
the finances of the system. The demands for salaries, 
building, &c. are paid by orders drawn by the Board of 
Control on the County Treasurer. The smaller bills 
(not exceeding in amount ^20) are paid by the Trea- 
surers of the different sections, who receive funds for 
that purpose from the Board of Control. The Control- 
lers have the High School and the Model School under 



their particular charge, and appoint the requisite Visit- 
ing Committees for the same. 

The stated meetings of the Board of Controllers are 
held on the second Tuesday of every month. The ac- 
cumulation of business has led to a necessity for frequent 
special and adjourned meetings, which are held at the 
discretion of the members. 

Five members constitute a quorum for the making of 
orders for the payment of money, and the transaction 
of business generally, v^dth this exception, that no order 
for the payment of money can be made at any special 
meeting, unless a majority of the whole number be pre- 
sent. 

It is a standing rule of the Board, which, unless in 
cases of great emergency, is strictly adhered to, that no 
order for money shall be authorised, unless the claim 
has been previously approved by the regular Committee 
of Accounts. 

The Committee of Accounts meet statedly on the Fri- 
day preceding each stated meeting of the Board, and to 
ensure regularity and avoid confusion, they refuse to 
consider any claim which is not submitted to them pre« 
vious to that time. 

No contract for materials or labor in the erection of 
the public school-houses is valid, unless sanctioned by 
the Board of Controllers; and no claim on account of 
such materials or labor will be allowed by the Commit- 
tee of Accounts, unless approved by the Building Com- 
mittees of the Controllers. 

All claims for tuition in the outer sections, where the 
1* 



Teachers receive a per diem allowance, must be attest- 
ed before some competent authority. 

No order for money will be delivered by the Secre- 
tary of the Board, except to the party in whose favor it 
is drawn, or his or her legal representative. 

The purchase of supplies for the use of the schools is 
made by a committee of the Controllers, under the direc- 
tion of the board. Books and stationary are distributed 
from the office of the board to the different schools, upon 
the written requisitions of the Teachers, approved by 
the Directors of the section to which they belong. 

The details of the school system are managed in the 
respective sections by Directors elected by the City 
Councils, and the Commissioners of the incorporated 
districts of the county, or in the unincorporated districts 
elected by the people. 

The First Section is under the charge of a board of 
fifty- four members, elected by the City Councils. The 
Second Section has a board of twenty-four members, 
elected by the Commissioners of the Northern Liberties. 
The Third Section has a board of nine members, elect- 
ed by the Commissioners of Southwark. The Fourth 
Section has a board of fifteen members, elected by the 
Commissioners of Spring Garden. The Fifth Section 
consists of the townships of Oxford and Lower Dublin, 
which have each a board of six members, and More- 
land and Byberry townships, which have each a board 
of three members, elected by the people. The Sixth 
Section consists of Bristol township, which has a board 
of three members, and Germantown and Roxborough 



townships, which have each a board of six members, 
elected by the people. The Seventh Section consists 
of the borough of West Philadelphia, Blockley and 
Kingsessing townships, which each have a board of 
three members, elected by the people. The Eighth 
Section consists of Passyunk township, which has a 
board of six members, elected by the people. The Ninth 
Section has a board of twelve members, elected by the 
Commissioners of Moyamensing. The Tenth Section 
has a board of twelve members, elected by the Commis- 
sioners of Kensington. The Eleventh Section consists 
of the townships of North Penn, South Penn and unin- 
corporated Northern Liberties, and have each a board 
of three members, elected by the people. 

The elections for Directors are made in the in- 
corporated districts of the county between the first and 
twentieth days of March annually, and in the wards, 
boroughs and townships in the unincorporated parts of 
the county, at the ward, borough and township elections 
which are now held by law on the third Friday in March 
annually. 

But one third of the whole number of the Directors 
of each of the several boards in the first section, are 
elected annually, and they hold their office for the term 
of three years. 

The Directors of the several sections shall have pow- 
er to erect and establish so many schools as may be de- 
termined upon by the said Controllers, and shall appoint 
Teachers, and provide all things necessary for maintain- 
ing and conducting the schools in the respective sec- 



8 



tions, and shall superintend and direct the said schools 
respectively. 

The Directors of each section shall meet at least 
monthly; and the Directors of the several sections are 
required to divide themselves into as many committees 
as there may be schools established in each section, so 
that every committee may have the management of one 
school only. The Directors are also required to keep 
regular minutes of their proceedings, and to exhibit 
them when demanded ; and are also required to report 
the state of their respective schools to the Controllers at 
least once in six months. 

There are at present in the bounds of the first district 
twenty-seven substantial and commodious school-houses, 
erected expressly for the accommodation of the public 
schools, and reserved exclusively for their use. In these, 
and the various hired rooms occupied by the primary 
schools, over thirty-two thousand children are annu- 
ally receiving the benefits of education. The course 
embraces all the useful branches of English instruction, 
and the advancement of the pupils alike attests the me- 
rits of the method pursued and the ability of the teach- 
ers. 

The expenses of the public schools have, until within 
the past few years, been exclusively borne by the peo- 
ple of the city and county. Now they are defrayed 
partly by Legislative appropriations, and partly by 
taxation. 

June, 1843. 



DIGEST. 



AN ACT 



To provide for the Education of Children at public expense, with- 
in the City and County of Philadelphia. 

Passed March 3, 1818. 

Whereas, the general provisions of the existing laws 
towards " the establishment of schools throughout the 
state in such manner that the poor may be taught gra- 
tis," and the special provisions made relative to the city 
and county of Philadelphia, have not proved to be a 
public benefit within the said city and county, commen- 
surate with the expense incurred by occasion of the 
same : for remedy whereof, 

1. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That the city 
and county of Philadelphia, shall be, and hereby are 
erected into a district, for the purposes of this act, to be 
denominated the First School District of the state of 
Pennsylvania, and shall be divided into the following 
sections, and so many other sections, as may be esta- 
blished hereafter, in the manner hereinafter provided : 
First, the city of Philadelphia shall be a section, and 
shall be denominated the First Section. [Second, the 
Northern Liberties and Kensington shall be a section, 
and shall be denominated the Second Section. Third, 
Southwark, Moyamensing, and Passyunk, shall be a sec- 



k 



10 

tion, and shall be denominated the Third Section.] 
Fourth, Penn Township shall be a section, and shall be 
denominated the Fourth Section. 

[Part in brackets altered. Infra 11, 19, 22, 27, 38.] 
2. Sectioiv II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, [That the Common and Select 
Councils, the Commissioners of the incorporated part of 
the Northern Liberties, the Commissioners of the dis- 
trict of Southwark, the Commissioners of the township 
of Moyamensing, and the Commissioners of the district 
of Spring Garden, shall meet as soon as conveniently 
may be, after the passing of this act, in their respective 
districts, and thereafter, on some day between the first 
and twentieth days of January, in every year, and shall 
appoint the requisite number of qualified taxable inha- 
bitants, residing within their respective sections, hereby 
established, to be Directors of the Public Schools, within 
every of the respective sections ; that is to say, the Se- 
lect and Common Councils of the city of Philadelphia 
shall, in joint meeting, elect by ballot, twenty-four di- 
rectors ; the Commissioners of the incorporated part of 
the Northern Liberties shall elect twelve directors ; the 
Commissioners of the district of Southwark shall elect 
six directors; the Commissioners of the township of 
Moyamensing shall elect six directors ; and the Commis- 
sioners of the district of Spring Garden shall elect six 
directors; and for every section hereafter established, the 
number of directors designated in the manner hereinafter 
provided ;] and shall transmit a list of the names of the 
directors so appointed by them, to the county commis- 
sioners, who shall cause the same to be published in all 
the daily newspapers printed and published in the said 
city and county, and shall give personal, written or 
printed notice to every citizen so appointed ; for the ex- 
penses of which services the said county commissioners 
shall be allowed in the settlement of their accounts. 



11 

J^Part in brackets altered by Act of 27 JunCj 1839, 7 
March, 1840, 12 March, 4 Sec. Act of 10 ^pril, 1841, 
and 12 March, 1842. //i/ra 22, 35, 42, 43, 45.] 

3. Section IV. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the directors appointed, and 
controllers elected as aforesaid, shall continue in office 
until the expiration of one calendar month, after a new 
appointment and election shall have taken place ; and 
in case of the death, removal, or resignation of any di- 
rector or controller, from inability to serve, the direc- 
tors for the time being, of the section in which such va- 
cancy may occur, shall have power to elect any qualifi- 
ed taxable inhabitant or inhabitants of the section to 
supply the place of the person so dying, removing or re- 
signing as aforesaid. 

[^The provisions of this section altered and extended hj 
33 Sec, of Act ofl March, 1840. Infra 35.] 

4. Section V. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the said controllers of the 
public schools shall determine upon the number of 
school-houses which shall be erected or established in 
every section, under the provisions of this act, and shall 
limit the expense of erecting and establishing every such 
school-house. They shall have the power to establish 
a model school, in order to qualify teachers for the sec- 
tional schools, or for schools in other parts of the state. 
They shall also have power to provide such suitable 
books, as they shall deem necessary, for the use of the 
pupils belonging to the different schools within the first 
district. They shall have the general superintendence 
over all the schools established under, and by virtue of 
this act, in the said district, and may make such rules 
and regulations for their own government, and for the 
general regulations of the district, as may be deemed 
necessary for carrying this act into complete effect : 
Provided, That such rules or regulations shall not be 
inconsistent with this act, or with the constitution or 



12 

laws of this commonwealth, or of the United States. 
They shall also have power to appoint a clerk or secre- 
tary, with a salary not exceeding two hundred dollars 
a year. 

5. Section VI. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That it shall be the duty of the 
said controllers to examine all accounts of moneys dis- 
bursed in erecting, establishing and maintaining the se- 
veral schools established as aforesaid, within the district, 
and the order of the said controllers upon the county 
treasurer, made at any regular or special meeting, and 
signed by the president and secretary of such meeting, 
for any sum or sums of money necessary for carrying 
this act into complete execution, shall be the said coun- 
ty treasurer's authority for paying any such sum or sums 
of money, to the person or persons mentioned in such or- 
der, and the said treasurer is hereby directed to pay all 
such orders accordingly. 

6. Section VII. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the said controllers shall meet 
at least quarterly, and may call special meetings when- 
ever the same may be deemed expedient. They shall 
keep regular minutes of all their proceedings, and shall 
keep regular books of accounts, which shall be examin- 
ed and settled annually by the Auditors of the county, 
and shall publish a statement in the month of February 
in every year, of the amount of expenditure, and of the 
number of children educated in the public schools. 

7. Section IX. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the said directors, for every 
section respectively, shall have power to erect and esta- 
blish so many schools in their respective sections as may 
be determined upon by the said controllers, as provided 
in the fifth section of this act, and shall appoint teach- 
ers, and provide all things necessary for maintaining 
and conducting the schools in their respective sections, 
and shall superintend and direct the said schools respec- 



13 

lively. And the directors of every section respectively 
shall meet at least monthly, and shall keep regular min- 
utes of their proceedings, and the said directors of every 
section respectively, shall divide themselves into as ma- 
ny committees as there may be schools established as 
aforesaid in the particular section, so that every com- 
mittee may have the management of one school only : 
And the said committees shall also keep regular minutes 
of their proceedings, and shall report, or exhibit their 
minutes to the directors of the section, whenever requir- 
ed by the said directors so to do. And the directors of 
every section shall report the state of all the schools 
within the section, every six months, to the controllers 
aforesaid. And all the directors of the public schools, 
within the said district, shall perform their duties with- 
out any pecuniary compensation ; and during their term 
of service shall be exempted from serving as jurors, ar- 
bitrators, overseers of the poor, or managers of the alms 
house, and, except in time of war, from militia duty. 

8. SECTiorf XI. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the court of Quarter Sessions 
for the said county, upon the petition of twenty respect- 
able taxable citizens, residing in that part of the first 
school district in the said petition particularly mention- 
ed and described, to establish a new school section with- 
in the said district, the boundaries and limits of which 
section shall be clearly and distinctly described and set 
forth in the said petition, shall appoint some day certain, 
not less than thirty days from the time of presenting the 
said petition, for the hearing of the said petitioners, and 
such persons residing within the first school district as 
may offer objections to the establishment of such new 
section. And the said court shall direct immediate pub- 
lic notice of the substance of such petition, and of the 
time appointed for hearing the same to be given, and 
also personal notice of the same to be given to the pre- 
sident or secretary of the controllers of the public schools 
2 



14 

for the said district ; and if upon the day appointed as 
aforesaid, or upon the hearing of tlie said petitioners, no 
sufficient objections shall appear, and the said court 
shall be of opinion, that the state of the section petition- 
ed for, is such as to require and to justify the establish- 
ment of one or more public school -houses within the 
same, the said court may order and direct that the place 
designated and described in the said petition shall be a 
new section, to be designated by its appropriate ordinal 
number. And the said court shall at the same time de- 
signate the number of directors to be appointed for 
such new section, and shall cause a record of such peti- 
tion and proceedings to be made, and a copy thereof 
certified by the clerk of the said court, under the seal 
of the said court, to be made out at the expense of the 
petitioners, and to be delivered to the president or clerk 
of the said controllers of the public schools ; from which 
time the said new section shall be considered and held 
to be established and to be subject to all the provisions 
of this act. 

9. Section XII. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That it shall be the duty of the 
Assessors of every ward and township within the said 
district, in which any school section is or may be esta- 
blished by and under this act, upon being required so to 
do by the said controllers, or directors of the public 
schools, as the case may be, to require and receive once 
in every year from parents and guardians, the names of 
all the indigent orphan children; children of indigent 
parents residing within the said school sections respec- 
tively, that is to say, the names of boys between the 
ages of six and fourteen years, and girls between the 
ages of five and thirteen years; and to inform the said 
parents and guardians of such children, that they may 
send the said children to the proper school within the 
section in which they reside respectively, free of ex- 
pense ; and the children thus returned, shall, if approv- 



15 

ed by the controllers or directDj's out of the incorporat- 
ed districts aforesaid, be admitted into the schools under 
their direction ; and in case the said assessors shall omit 
to make a return of any poor children within their wards 
or townships, the said controllers or directors, being in- 
formed of the same, shall cause the names of the chil- 
dren so omitted to be placed on the said list, and be 
educated as the children returned on the list aforesaid. 
And the said assessors respectively shall return a true 
certified list of the names of all such children residing 
within the said sections respectively, to the said control- 
lers or directors of the public schools, for which service 
the said assessors shall be allowed a reasonable compen- 
sation, to be fixed by the county commissioners. And 
every assessor who shall neglect to give such notice, or 
to make such return in a reasonable time, shall forfeit 
and pay the sum of twenty dollars, to be sued for by 
any person, and recovered as debts of that amount are, 
or may be recoverable, and to be paid into the county 
treasury for county purposes. 

10. Sectioiy XliL And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid, That as soon as the school or 
schools within any section of the said district shall be 
established and ready for the reception of scholars, the 
directors of such section shall give public notice thereof, 
and shall also give immediate notice thereof in writing to 
the county commissioners, who shall give immediate no- 
tice to the teachers of all schools within the section, to 
whose care any children may have been committed by 
the said commissioners, that after a certain day, not 
more than ninety days after such notice given by the 
said directors to the said commissioners, the further edu- 
cation of such children will not be paid for by the said 
county commissioners ; and the said county commission- 
ers shall not be allowed for any payment made to any 
schoolmaster or teacher within such section, for educat- 
ing any child after the period aforesaid. 



16 

11. Sectioiv XIV. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid, That whereas, the plan of edu- 
cation before mentioned, may be inconvenient to the 
townships hereafter named, it therefore becomes pro- 
per to adopt one better calculated for their local situa- 
tion. 

Be it therefore enacted. That the townships of Ox- 
ford, Lower Dublin, Byberry and Moreland, shall be a 
section, to be denominated the Fifth Section; [that the 
court of Quarter Sessions for the said county shall ap- 
point twelve respectable taxable inhabitants of the 
said section, to be directors of the public schools within 
the same; four for Oxford, four for Lower Dublin, two 
for Byberry, and two for Moreland townships;] and that 
the townships of Germantown, Bristol and Roxborough 
shall be a section, to be denominated the Sixth Section; 
[that the court of Quarter Sessions for the said county 
shall appoint eight reputable taxable inhabitants, for the 
said section, to be directors of the public schools within 
the same, four for Germantown, two for Bristol, and two 
for Roxborough,] and that the township of Blockley 
and Kingsessing shall be a section, to be denominated 
the Seventh Section; [that the court of Quarter Ses- 
sions for the said county shall appoint five respectable 
taxable inhabitants of the said section to be directors of 
the public schools within the same, three for Blockley, 
and two for Kingsessing;] that the said directors shall 
superintend the schooling of the poor children within 
the said district, and determine what children may fall 
within this description, and to what school the same 
may be sent; and in order to defray the expenses there- 
of, the said directors, or a majority of them, may draw 
from the county funds such sums as may be necessary 
for this purpose, in the same proportion as may be drawn 
by other sections or school districts for the like purpose; 
and the assessors within the said sections shall make 
their returns of poor children to the directors before 



17 

named, and all and every regulation, matter and thing, 
contained in this act, so far as the same may be appli- 
cable to the special provisions in this section, shall be 
considered as of full force and effect, as much so as if 
specially recited herein. Provided, That in case any 
of the said townships shall choose to avail themselves of 
the provisions of the eleventh section of this act, then 
and in such case the court of Quarter Sessions shall pro- 
ceed as in the said section is directed. 

[_Part of' this section in brackets i-epealed by Act of* 
Mth March, 1840. Infra 35.] 

12. Section XV. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That so much of every act of As- 
sembly relating to the education of the poor, as far as 
the same may affect the said district, as is altered and 
supplied by this act, shall be repealed, and shall cease 
to operate within the several sections in the said dis- 
trict, from the respective time and times when the 
schools established under this act, in the respective sec- 
tions, shall be ready for the reception of scholars, and 
notice given of the same, as is provided in the thirteenth 
section of this act. 

Note. — The preceding Act of Assembly is the foundation of 
the present public school system of the first district. Since the 
date of its passage its provisions have been considerably modifi- 
fied, and in some respects enlarged, as will be seen by the vari- 
ous Acts which follow. Among other important changes, it may 
be particularly noted, that the benefits of public education are 
now extended to all classes of the community, without distinc- 
tion; and that the mode of instruction is no longer limited to the 
plan commonly called Lancasterian. These radical alterations 
have been productive of the best consequences. 

2* 



18 
A SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

Passed 27th March, 1819. 

13. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same, That the direc- 
tors of the public schools for the townships of the North- 
ern Liberties and Penn may determine to which schools 
the poor children of their respective townships may be 
sent, who are too distant from the public schools esta- 
blished, to be there taught. And the expense for in- 
structing such poor children shall be paid out of the 
county funds in the same manner as is provided in the 
act to which this is a supplement, for educating poor 
children in the townships of Blockley and Kingsessing. 



A SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

Passed 23d January, 1821. 

14. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Penn- 
sylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That it shall be 
the duty of the controllers who now are, or who here- 
after may be appointed under the act to which this is a 
supplement, to examine all accounts of the expenses in- 
curred in erecting, establishing and maintaining the 
schools which have been or hereafter may be establish- 
ed under the act to which this is a supplement. 

15. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That it shall be the duty of the di- 
rectors of the fifth, sixth and seventh sections, and of 
any other section now established, which may send chil- 



19 

dren to a school or schools not under the care of the 
controllers, and of any other section which may be 
hereafter established in the first school district, to report 
to the controllers aforesaid, on or before the first day of 
February, annually, the amount of money which they 
may deem necessary to defray the expenses of their re- 
spective sections, as to schools not under the care of the 
controllers; and it shall be the duty of the said directors 
to examine the accounts of the said expenses of their re- 
spective sections, and when the same are found to be 
correct, to certify and transmit them to the said con- 
trollers, who shall draw their orders on the county trea- 
surer for the amount of the same, under the same regu- 
lations and restrictions as other orders are drawn by the 
said controllers. 

16. Section III. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That from and after the passage of 
this act, it shall be the duty of the controllers aforesaid, 
to report to the county commissioners annually, on or 
before the first day of March, the amount of money 
which they may deem necessary to defray the expenses 
of the first school district of the state of Pennsylvania, 
for the current year; and the county commissioners 
shall, from and after the first day of March annually, 
ascertain the per centum upon the amount of the coun- 
ty tax which will produce the sum required by the 
controllers; and shall, as soon as may be, give notice 
thereof to the county treasurer, who shall open and 
keep a separate account for the controllers; and as the 
tax shall be paid to him by the collectors, pass to the 
credit of the controllers the amount agreeably to the 
rate per centum fixed by the commissioners, which shall 
be subject to such orders as the controllers may draw 
on the county treasurer, who is hereby directed to pay 
the same accordingly. And it shall be the duty of the 
said treasurer to give and take receipts for money so 
received and paid by him, in the same manner as is pro- 



20 

vided bj the act entitled, " an Act to regulate the com- 
pensation of the Commissioners, to alter the time for ap- 
pointing the Treasurer for the county of Philadelphia, 
and for other purposes." And it shall further be the 
duty of the said treasurer to report to the said control- 
lers the state of their account whenever they may re- 
quire him so to do: Provided always, That if at any 
time the said controllers shall deem it expedient to bor- 
row any sum or sums of money in anticipation of the 
sum to be placed to their credit as aforesaid, they shall 
have pov\^er to borrow the same from any person or per- 
sons, or any body or bodies corporate or politic, and to 
pledge the sum so to be placed to their credit for the 
payment thereof. Provided also, That any sum or sums 
of money so borrowed shall be, by the said controllers, 
placed in the hands of the county treasurer, who is 
hereby required to receive the same and to pay the 
same on the orders of the controllers. And provided 
also, That if the amount of money that the controllers 
may report to the commissioners as necessary for the 
first school district shall not be expended in the year for 
which it may have been appropriated, then the surplus 
shall be considered as forming a part of the estimate for 
the succeeding year. 

[See Act passed 9th Feb. 1835. Infra 32.] 
17. Section IV. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the Select and Common 
Councils, the commissioners of the incorporated part of 
the Northern Liberties, the commissioners of the district 
of Southwark, the commissioners of the township of 
Moyamensing, the commissioners of the district of Spring 
Garden, and the court of Quarter Sessions, shall annu- 
ally, immediately after the election or appointment of 
the respective boards of directors, transmit a list of the 
names of the directors elected or appointed by them re- 
spectively, to the said controllers; who shall cause the 
same to be published in all the daily newspapers print- 



21 

ed and published in the city and county of Philadelphia; 
and shall give personal, written or printed notice to eve- 
ry citizen so appointed; for the expenses of which servi- 
ces the said controllers shall be allowed in the settlement 
of their accounts. 

18. Sectiojv V. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That so much of the act to which 
this is a supplement, or of any other act as is hereby al- 
tered or supplied, be and the same is hereby repealed. 



A SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

Passed March 20, 1821. 

19. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Penn- 
sylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That the town- 
ship of Passyunk be and it is hereby erected into a se- 
parate school section, to be denominated the Eighth 
Section, [and the Judges of the court of Quarter Ses- 
sions for the city and county of Philadelphia be and they 
are hereby authorised and required to appoint two re- 
spectable taxable inhabitants of the said township, to be 
directors of public schools in the same, who shall be 
entitled to all the privileges and immunities, and sub- 
ject to the same regulations as the directors of the pub- 
lic schools in the fifth, sixth and seventh sections in the 
county of Philadelphia.] 

\^Part in brackets repealed by Act of 1th Marchf 1 840. 
Infra 35.] 



22 
A FURTHER SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

And for the erection of a School House in the Township of 
Passyunk. 

Passed April 10, 1826. 

20. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same, That the direc- 
tors of the public schools of the first section of the first 
school district of the state of Pennsylvania, may deter- 
mine to which school or schools the poor children resid- 
ing within the city of Philadelphia may be sent, who 
are too distant from the public schools, to be there 
taught, and the expense for instructing such poor chil- 
dren shall be paid out of the county funds, in the same 
manner as is provided in the act to which this is a sup- 
plement, for educating poor children in the townships of 
Blockley and Kingsessing: Provided, That the expense 
of instructing such poor children shall not exceed three 
cents per day for every day's attention of each scholar, 
and a reasonable allowance for fuel. 



A SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

Passed Feb. 12, 1827. 

Whereas, it is found that by reason of the increased 
number of public schools established within the first 
section of the first school district of the state of Penn- 
sylvania, under the provisions of the Act of March 3d, 
one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, the board of 
directors in and for the said section, is not sufficiently 
large for the regular performance of the duties assigned 
to them by the said act: Therefore, 



23 

21. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth ol 
Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That the Select 
and Common Councils of the city of Philadelphia shall 
elect annually [thirty-six] qualiSed taxable inhabitants 
of the said city, as directors of the public schools in and 
for the first section of the first school district of the stale 
of Pennsylvania, in the same manner and form, at the 
same time, and in all respects subject to the same pro- 
visions as those now or heretofore elected by the said 
councils, by virtue of the second section of the Act enti- 
tled " an Act to provide for the education of children 
at the public expense, within the city and county of 
Philadelphia," possed March third, one thousand eight 
hundred and twenty-six. 

lAltered by Act of 12 March, 1842. lufra 42, 43, 

22. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the township of Moyamen- 
sing be and it is hereby erected into a separate section 
of the public schools for the first school district, to be 
denominated the Ninth Section. 

23. Section III. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the board of commissioners 
of the township of Moyamensing be and they are hereby 
authorised and required, on the first Monday in January, 
in each and every year, or within twenty days thereaf- 
ter, to appoint six respectable taxable inhabitants of 
the said township to be directors of the public schools in 
the same, who shall be entitled to all the privileges and 
immunities, and subject to the same regulations as the 
directors of the public schools in the first, second and 
third sections in the city and county of Philadelphia. 

^Altered by Act of 12 March^ 1842. Infra 42, 43.] 



24 
AN ACT 

To enable the Controllers of the Public Schools for the city and 
county of Philadelphia, and the Commissioners of said county, 
to sell and convey certain real estate. 

Passed April 14, 1828. 

^4. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the said controllers be and 
they are hereby authorised, whenever they shall think 
proper, to establish schools for the instruction of chil- 
dren under five years of age, and that the moneys ex- 
pended in the establishment and support of these schools 
shall be provided for and paid in the same manner as is 
now, or shall hereafter be directed by law, with respect 
to the other public schools in said district. 



AN ACT 



Concerning the Allentown Academy, in the borough of North- 
ampton, in the county of Lehigh, and for other purposes. 

Passed April 1, 1831- 

25. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the fifth section of the first 
school district of the state of Pennsylvania shall be en- 
titled to one controller of the public schools for the city 
and county of Philadelphia, and the sixth section of said 
district shall be entitled to one controller in said board, 
and the seventh and eighth sections of said district shall 
be entitled to one controller in said board; which said 
additional controllers shall be elected from their own 
numbers, by the directors of said sections respectively. 
Provided, That the directors of the seventh and eighth 
sections shall hold a joint meeting for the election of a 
controller from their sections, [and that after the cur- 



25 

rent year the said additional controllers shall be elected 
in the month of January, annually.] 

[Altered hj Act of March 1, 1840. Infra 35, ^c. 

26. Sectiolv III. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid.. That the controllers of the public 
schools for the city and county of Philadelphia shall 
have the same power and superintendence over the fifth, 
sixth, seventh and eighth sections, or any other section 
which may be hereafter made, in the first school dis- 
trict, as they now have in relation to the other sections 
of said district. 



A FURTHER SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

Passed Feb. 15, 1832. 

27. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Penn- 
sylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That five mem- 
bers of the controllers of the public schools for the city 
and county of Philadelphia shall constitute a quorum 
for the making of orders for the payment of money, and 
the transaction of business generally, with this excep- 
tion, that no order for the payment of money shall be 
made at any special meeting of the board, unless a ma- 
jority of the whole number be present. 

!^8. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That from and after the passage of 
this act the incorporated district of the Northern Liber- 
ties shall be a section of the first school district of the 
state of Pennsylvania, to be called the Second Section, 
[and shall elect one controller of the public schools,] and 
that the district of Kensington, and the unincorporated 
Northern Liberties shall be a section, to be called the 



26 

Tenth Section, [and shall be entitled to elect one con- 
troller.] 

[^Altered and the part in brackets repealed by Act of 7 
March, 1840. Infra 35, ^c] 



AN ACT 
To establish a general system of Education by Common Schools 
Passed April 1, 1834- 

Whereas, it is enjoined by the constitution, as a so- 
lemn duty, which cannot be neglected without a disre- 
gard of the moral and political safety of the people: 
And whereas, the fund for common school purposes, un- 
der the Act of the second of April, one thousand eight 
hundred and thirty-one, will, on the fourth of April 
next, amount to the sum of five hundred and forty-six 
thousand five hundred and sixty-three dollars and seven- 
ty-two cents, and will soon reach the sum of two mil- 
lions of dollars, when it will produce, at five per cent, 
an interest of one hundred thousand dollars, which, by 
said act, is to be paid for the support of common schools: 
And whereas, provisions should be made by law, for the 
distribution of the benefits of this fund to the people of 
the respective counties of the commonwealth: — There- 
fore, 

29. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That the city 
and county of Philadelphia, and every other county in 
this commonwealth, shall each form a school division, 
and that every ward, township and borough, within the 
several school divisions, shall each form a school district: 



27 

Provided, That any borough which is or may be con- 
nected with a township in the assessment and collection 
of county rates and levies, shall, with the said township, 
so long as it remains so connected, form a district; and 
each of said districts shall contain a competent number 
of common schools, for the education of every child 
within the limits thereof, who shall apply, either in per- 
son or by his or her parents, guardian or next friend, 
for admission and instruction. 

30. Sectioiy XXI f. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid, That the county commissioners 
of each county in the commonwealth shall have power 
to take and hold, in fee simple or otherwise, any estate, 
real or personal, which shall be given by any person or 
persons, or bodies corporate, for the use of any school 
division within the said county. 

31. Section XXVI. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid, That so much of any Act of the 
General Assembly as is hereby altered or supplied, is 
hereby repealed, except the act and its supplements 
now in operation in the city and county of Philadelphia, 
entitled " an Act to provide for the education of chil- 
dren at the public expense within the city and county 
of Philadelphia," which is made concurrent with the 
provisions of this act, and is in no wise to be considered 
as altered, amended or repealed, except so far that the 
citizens of said city and county shall be entitled to re- 
ceive their due proportion and share of any money 
which may be appropriated out of the school fund, by 
the Legislature, in pursuance of the provisions of this 
act. 

Note — ^The other sections of this Act relates to the State ap- 
propriations and the counties of the state of Pennsplvania other 
than the county of Philaeelphia. 



28 
A SUPPLEMENT, &c. 

Passed February 9, 1835. 

32. Section- I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same. That from and 
after the passage of this act, it shall be the duty of the 
commissioners of Philadelphia county, and they are 
hereby required, in pursuance of the duties imposed 
upon them by the third section of an act entitled " a 
Supplement to an Act entitled an Act to provide for the 
education of children at the public expense, within the 
city and county of Philadelphia," passed on the twenty- 
third day of January, one thousand eight hundred and 
twenty-one, to raise and pay in cash, to the county trea- 
surer, on the first Monday in every month, one- twelfth 
part of the sum which the controllers of the public 
schools for the city and county of Philadelphia shall an- 
nually report to be necessary to defray the expenses of 
the first school district for the current year; and the 
county treasurer shall forthwith, upon the receipt of the 
said monthly payment as aforesaid, pass the same to the 
credit of the controllers, and hold the same, subject to 
the sole and exclusive order of the said controllers, sepa- 
rate and apart from all other county funds. 



AN ACT 



To consolidate and amend the several Acts relative to a general 
system of Education by Common Schools. 



Passed June 13, 1836. 



33. Section- I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of 



29 

Pennsylvania in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same, That every town- 
ship, borough or ward in this commonwealth, not within 
the city and incorporated districts of the county of Phi- 
ladelphia, shall constitute a school district: Provided, 
That any borough which is or may be connected with 
a township in the assessment of county rates and levies, 
shall with the said township form a district. 

34. Section XXIII. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforeseid. That the act and its supple- 
ments now in operation in the city and county of Phila- 
delphia, entitled " an Act to provide for the education 
of children at the public expense, within the city and 
county of Philadelphia," are declared to be concurrent 
with the provisions of this act, and are in nowise to be 
considered as altered, amended or repealed, except so 
far that the said city and county shall be entitled to re- 
ceive their due proportion and share of the annual state 
appropriation of two hundred thousand dollars: Provid- 
ed, That the controllers of the public schools for the city 
and county of Philadelphia be and they hereby are au- 
thorised, whenever they shall think proper, to establish 
one central high school, for the full education of such 
pupils of the public schools of the first school district, as 
may possess the requisite qualifications, and the moneys 
expended in the establishment and support of the said 
high school shall be provided and paid in the same man- 
ner as is now or shall hereafter be directed by law, with 
respect to the other public schools of the said district: 
And provided further. That so much of the tenth sec- 
tion of the Act of March the third, A. D. eighteen hun- 
dred and eighteen, as renders the exclusive use of the 
Lancasterian system in the first school district obligato- 
ry upon the controllers and directors, and all such pro- 
visions (if any) in the said act and the several supple- 
ments thereto, as limits the benefits of the said public 
schools to the children of indigent parents, and so much 
3* 



30 

of any act as is hereby altered or supplied, be and the 
same are hereby repealed, and in said public schools all 
children over four years of age shall be admitted. 



AN ACT 



t 



Relative to the election of Borough and Township officers, and 
^ for other purposes. 

Passed 7th March, 1840. 

35. Section XXXII. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid. That the qualitied electors of 
each of the wards of the township of Germantown, the 
borough of West Philadelphia, and the townships of 
Passyunk, Kingsessing, Blockley, Unincorporated North- 
ern Liberties, Bristol, Byberry and Moreland shall, at 
their ward and township election, on the third Friday 
of March next, in the same manner as other ward, bo- 
roughs and township officers are elected and returned, 
elect three citizens of each ward or township, to serve 
as school directors, and the qualified electors of each of 
the tov^nships of Penn, (Northern and Southern,) Rox- 
borough, Oxford and Lower Dublin shall, at the same 
time, in like manner, elect six persons to serve as school 
directors. The directors of each of the wards, boroughs 
and townships thus elected, shall meet on the first Mon- 
day of April, at the hour of ten o'clock, at the place of 
holding the township or district election, when the town- 
ship is divided into more than one election district, and 
shall divide themselves by lot into three classes; one-third 
to serve one year; one-third two years; and one-third 
three years; and the qualified electors of each of the 
several wards, boroughs and townships first named, 
shall, at their ward, borough or townships elections, an- 
nually thereafter, in the same manner, elect one citizen 



31 

of the ward, borough or township, to serve as school di- 
rector, and the townships last named shall, at the same 
time and in like manner, elect two citizens of the town- 
ships to serve as school directors, who shall hold their 
offices for three years. 

36. Section XXXIII. And be it further enacted 
by the authority aforesaid, That whenever any vacan- 
cy shall occur by any person elected a school director 
declining to serve, removing from the ward, borough or 
township, or otherwise, the remaining directors of the 
ward, borough, township or election district, if the town- 
ship shall be divided, shall appoint a citizen to serve in 
his place until another is elected by the qualified voters 
at the next ward, borough or township election. 

37. Section XXXIV. And be it further enacted 
by the authority aforesaid. That the directors thus elect- 
ed shall be subject to all the laws passed in relation to 
the school directors of the respective sections of the first 
school district. 

38. Section XXXV. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid. That the directors of each of 
the several sections and combined sections, entitled to 
elect controllers, shall meet within their respective dis- 
tricts, at such place as is or may be directed by law, on 
the first Monday of [April] annually, to elect control- 
lers, and that hereafter the directors of the first section 
shall elect six controllers; the directors of the second 
section three controllers; the directors of the third, fourth 
and tenth sections each two controllers; and the direc- 
tors of the fifth, sixth and ninth sections each one con- 
troller; the directors of the seventh and eighth, as at 
present constituted, shall together elect one controller; 
and the townships of Unincorporated Northern Liber- 
ties and Penn shall form a section, to be called the ele- 
venth section of the first school district, and the direc- 
tors thereof shall elect one controller. The controllers 



32 



thus elected shall be subject to all the laws passed in 
relation to the controllers of the first school district. 
[Altered by Act of lit h March, 1843, to June.'] 
39. Section^ XXXVI. And be it further enacted 
by the authority aforesaid, That as soon as the direc- 
tors and controllers herein provided for shall be elected 
and organized, the term of service of any director and 
controller of the public schools then in office in the dis- 
tricts thus altered or provided for, shall cease; and all 
laws that conflict with the provisions of this act are 
hereby repealed. 



I 



AN ACT 



Relating to the election of School Directors, and to grant insur- 
ance privileges to the Mechanics' and Tradesmen's Loan Com- 
pany of the state of Pennsylvania, and for other purposes. 

Passed 11th April, 1840. 

40. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the controllers of the public 
schools of the first school district of Pennsylvania shall, 
from time to time, when required by the superintendent 
of common schools, furnish such reports touching the 
condition and management of the schools under their 
charge, and of the methods of instruction practised 
therein, as he may deem useful for the advancement of 
the system of general education in the state. 



33 

AN ACT 

Authorising the Commissioners of Franklin county to borrow a 
Slim of money, and for oiher purposes. 

Passed 27th March. 1841. 

41. Sectiopt it. And be it farther enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That hereafter the directors of the 
pubhc schools of the first section of the first school dis- 
trict of the state of Pennsylvania shall elect seven con- 
trollers instead of six. And so much of the thirty-fifth 
section of the act relative to the election of borough and 
township officers, and for other purposes, passed the 7th 
day of March, eighteen hundred and forty, as is incon- 
sistent herewith, be and the same is hereby repealed. 



AN ACT 

Supplementary to an Act entitled "an Act to consolidate and 
amend the several Acts relative to a general system of Educa- 
cation by Common Schools," passed the thirteenth day of 
June, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and for other 
purposes. 

Passed 10th April, 1841. 

42. Section IV. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the board of commissioners of 
the district of Southwark, in the county of Philadelphia, 
shall hereafter, at the time fixed by law for such elec- 
tion, (instead of six as heretofore,) elect nine citizens, 
who shall be residents of said district, to serve as school 
directors of the third section of the first school district. 



34 
A FURTHER SUPPLEMENT 

To an Act entitled " an Act to provide for the education of Chil- 
dren at the public expense, within the city and county of Phi- 
ladelphia," passed t lie third day of March, one thousand eight 
hundred and eighteen. 

Passed 12th March, 1842. 

43. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Penn- 
sylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same, That the city of 
Philadelphia shall hereafter be entitled to eighteen ad- 
ditional directors, making the whole number fifty-four; 
the Northern Liberties to twelve additional directors, 
making the whole number twenty-four; the district of 
Spring Garden to nine additional directors, making the 
whole number fifteen; and the district of Moyamensing 
to six additional directors, making the whole number 
twelve. 

44. Section H. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the additional directors au- 
thorised by this act shall be elected before the first day 
of April, the present year, in the same manner now pro- 
vided for by law in the several districts. 

45. Section HI. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That hereafter the annual elections 
of school directors, in the several sections of the incorpo- 
rated districts of the first school district, shall take place 
between the first and twentieth of March in each year. 

46. Section IV. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the said directors elected in 
the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-three, in 
the city of Philadelphia, and in the incorporated dis- 
tricts, shall meet together at their usual places of meet- 
ing, on the first Monday after their electii n, and divide 
themselves, by lot, into three classes; the seats of the 



35 

first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first 
year; the seats of the second class shall be vacated at 
the expiration of the second year; and the seats of the 
third class shall be vacated at the expiration of the 
third year; and annually thereafter, the select and com- 
mon councils and the commissioners of the incorporated 
districts shall elect one-third of the whole number of di- 
rectors in their respective sections, to serve for a term 
of three years; and so much of any previous act as is 
hereby altered or supplied, be and the same is hereby 
repealed. 

47. Section V. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the controllers of public 
schools of the first school district be and they are hereby 
authorised and directed to cause such of the public 
schools in the said district, as they may deem necessary, 
to be opened at night, during the months of January, 
February, March, October, November and December, 
of each and every year, for the instruction of male 
adults. 



AN ACT 

To authorise the citizens of Little Beaver township, in the coun- 
ty of Beaver, to elect two additional Supervisors of the High- 
ways, and for other purposes. 

Passed 18th March, 1842. 

48. Section IV. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That from and after the third Fri- 
day in March, one thousand eight hundred and forty- 
two, it shall not be lawful for any of the commissioners 
of the incorporated districts, within the county of Phila- 
delphia, to exercise the duties of school directors and 
commissioners at the same time. 



36 

AN ACT 

In relation to the County of Philadelphia. 

Passed 5lh April, 1842. 

49. Section VI. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That from and after the passage of 
this act it shall not be lawful for the controllers of the 
public schools, or the board of health, or the inspectors 
of the county prison, to draw warrants for a larger or 
other sum of money than shall be specifically appropri- 
ated for the same by the said county board, and all laws 
authorising the said controllers and board of health and 
inspectors of the county prison to draw money from the 
county treasurer, are hereby repealed: Provided, That 
nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent 
the controllers of the public schools from drawing from 
the county treasurer any portion of the requisition made 
by them for the present year under existing laws. 

50. Section IX. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the twenty-first section of the 
act entitled " an Act relating to the distribution arising 
from canals and rail roads, and for other purposes," 
passed the twenty-ninth day of May, one thousand eight 
hundred and forty-one, which provides that the Audi- 
tors of Philadelphia county shall, in addition to all other 
duties now imposed on them by law, audit the accounts 
of the guardians for the relief and employment of the 
poor of the city of Philadelphia, the district of South- 
wark and the townships of Northern Liberties and 
Penn, the accounts of the inspectors of the county pri- 
son, the accounts of the board of health, and of the con- 
trollers of the public schools, at their respective offices, 
within ninety days after their fiscal years shall have re- 
spectively expired, and without other compensation 
than their per diem allowance by the county, together 
with all other acts or parts of acts superseded or suppli- 



37 

ed by the foregoing section, be and the same are hereby 
repealed. And the said auditors shall be entitled to re- 
ceive for auditing the accounts of the aforesaid institu- 
tions up to and during the year one thousand eight hun- 
dred and forty-one, the sanne compensation and in like 
manner and way as they had been paid previous to the 
passage of the aforesaid act. 



AN ACT 

To reduce the capital of the Southern Insurance and Trust Com- 
pany of Philadelphia, and for other purposes. 

Passed 26th July, 1842. 

51. Section XIII. And be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid, That the fiscal year of the coun- 
ty of Philadelphia and the fiscal year of the first school 
district of the state of Pennsylvania shall end on the 
thirtieth day of June annually, and the county commis- 
sioners shall publish annually, during the month of July, 
a statement of the receipts and expenditures of the said 
county, showing the amount of expenditure under each 
head of appropriation made by the county board, and in 
addition the said statement shall contain all the items re- 
quired by the twenty-third section of the act of the fif- 
teenth of April, one thousand eight hundred and thirty- 
four, and the controllers of the public schools of the first 
school district shall publish annually, during the month 
of July, a statement of the receipts and expenditures, as 
now provided by law, and the present county board shall 
continue to exercise their power until the first day of 
January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-three; 
and hereafter the members of said board shall hold their 
seats and exercise their powers for one year from the 
first day of January succeeding their election. 



38 

AN ACT 

Relative to School Directors in the First School District, and 
for other purposes. 

Passed 11th March, 1843. 

52. Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
House of Representatives of the commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same, That the qualifi- 
ed electors of the township of Passyunk, in the county 
of Philadelphia, shall, on the third Friday in March 
next, at the time and place of holding Constable's elec- 
tions, elect three citizens in addition to the number now 
required by law, to serve as school directors, and the 
said directors so elected shall divide themselves into 
three classes in accordance with the provisions of the 
thirty-second section of an act relative to the election of 
borough and township officers, and for other purposes, 
passed the seventh day of March, one thousand eight 
hundred and forty, and annually thereafter the qualifi- 
ed electors shall elect two citizens to serve as school di- 
rectors. 

53. Section II. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid. That the present controllers of the 
public schools of the first school district shall continue in 
office until the first day of July next, and the term of ser- 
vice shall thereafter expire on the 30th day of June an- 
nually, and hereafter the said controllers shall be elect- 
ed on the first Monday in June annually, in the manner 
now prescribed by law, and the school directors of the 
first school district now in office shall continue in office 
until the first day of July next, and annually thereafter 
the term of service of the said directors shall expire on 
the last of June. Provided, That if any directors shall 
have been elected for the year one thousand eight hun- 
dred and forty-three, before the passage of this act, they 



J 



39 

shall not take their seats or perform any duties as such 
until the first of July next. 

54. Section" III. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That it shall be lawful for the com- 
missioners of the districts of Kensington and Southwark, 
in the county of Philadelphia, to elect one-third of their 
number school directors annually. 



AN ACT 

Relative to the County of Philadelphia. 

Passed 31st March, 1843. 

55. SECTiopf V. And be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That the second section of an act 
passed the eleventh day of March, eighteen hundred and 
forty-three, entitled " an Act relative to school directors 
in the first school district," shall not be so construed as 
to prevent the school directors elected in the year one 
thousand eight hundred and forty-three from electing 
controllers of the public schools on the first Monday in 
June; and it shall be lawful for the school directors elect- 
ed for the present year to classify themselves at any time 
before the first day of July next, in accordance with the 
fourth section of a further supplement to an act entitled 
" an Act to provide for the education of children at the 
public expense within the city and county of Philadel- 
phia," passed the twelfth day of March, one thousand 
eight hundred and forty-two; but they shall perform no 
further or other duties by virtue of their election until 
the first day of July next; and the directors shall here- 
after elect controllers of the public schools on the first 
Monday in June annually. 



INDEX. 



Auditors, duty of, . 
Annual Reports, 

from directors to controllers, 

from controllers to county commissioners, . 

statement of expenditure and number of chil- 
dren in schools, .... 



Fage. 
12 



18, 



19 
19 

12 



City and county of Philadelphia erected into a school 
district, ...... 

Councils, common and select, to appoint directors. 
Commissioners of Northern Liberties 
Southwark 
Moyamensing 
Spring Garden 
Kensington 
Controllers of public schools, how chosen and by 

whom, . . .24, 25, 31, 33 

38 



directors 


3, 10, 23, 34 


do. 


. 10, 34 


do. 


10, 33, 39 


do. 


10, 23, 34 


do. 


. 10, 34 


do. 


25 



to continue in office until 30th June annually, 
to determine the number of school-houses to 

be erected, 
to establish a model school, . 
to provide books for use of scholars, . 
to make rules and regulations for the govern 

ment of the schools, 
to make annual statement, 
to examine all accounts of money to be expend 

ed for public schools, 
to draw orders on county treasurer, . 
to meet at least quarterly, 
to keep minutes of their proceedings, 
majority of, must be present for payment of 

money, except at stated meetings, 



12, 



11 

ib. 
ib. 

ib. 
12 

18 
12 
ib. 
ib. 

25 



42 

Page. 
Controllers to report to county commissioners the sum 

necessary to defray expenses, . . 19, 20 

to borrow money when necessary, . . 20 

to publish names of direciors, . . 20,21 

to establish infant schools, ... 24 
to have power over the whole of the first school 

district, ..... 25 

five to constitute a quorum, . . . ib. 

to establish a central high school, . . 29 

County Commissioners to ascertain the amount of tax, 19 
to raise and pay to the county treasurer, on the 
first Monday of every month, one-twelfth 
part of the sum necessary for expenses of 

the year, .... 28 
County Treasurer to keep a separate account for controllers, 19 
to report the state of their account whenever 

required by them, ... 20 

D. 

Directors of public schools, how appointed, and by whom, 

10, 21, 23, 30, 31, 33, o4, 35, 38, 39 
to elect controllers, . . . 10,24,31,38 

to supply vacancies, . . . . 11, 31 

to establish schools, .... 12 

to meet monthly, .... 13 

to report to controllers every six months, . ib. 

to give notice when schools are to be established, 15 

to draw from county funds in certain cases, . 16 
of fifth, sixth and seventh sections to report 

an estimate to controllers annually, . 19 

to direct where children shall be sent for in- 
struction who are distant from public 

schools, .... 22 

E. 

Expenses, estimate of, to be made to the county com- 
missioners annually, by the controllers, on or 
before the first day of March, . . 19 

F. 

Funds, county, when directors may draw from, 16 



Jij 



43 



H. 









Page. 


High school to be established by controllers, . 


29 


infant schools, 


24 


L. 




Lancaster's system, exclusive use of repealed, 


29 


M. 




Model school, ..... 


11 


Q. 




Quorum, five members to constitute, . 


25 


R. 




Report, controllers, annually, to county commissioners 


19 


directors, semi-annually, to controllers, 


13 


controllers to superintendent, . 


32 


s. 




Secretary of controllers. 


12 


his salary. 






ib. 


Section first established, &c. 






9 


second do. 






9, 25 


third do. 






9 


fourth do. 






10 


fifth do. 






16 


sixth do. 






ib. 


seventh do. 






ib. 


eighth do. 






21 


ninth do. 






23 


tenth do. 






25 


eleventh do. 






31 



Statement, annual, of expenditure, and number of chil- 
dren in schools, to be made by controllers in 
February, . . . . . 12 

T. 

Tax, per centum, to be ascertained by county commis- 
sioners, ..... 19 



.-\. 



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021 490 344 1 



